Chasing Grace

When what seems like a fun adventure turns out to be so much more. Alicia Marie had known for almost a decade that she would celebrate her 50th birthday by walking one of the routes of the Camino de Santiago, a network of trails in Europe that lead to the shrine of St. James in Santiago, Spain and that have been traveled by pilgrims since ancient times. When she first had the idea, it seemed like a fun, adventurous, "e;cool"e; vacation. As the date approached, she had an inkling that this would be a significant experience but didn't give it much more thought. She began to make the necessary practical arrangements and poured herself into physical training. At the same time, Alicia felt a restlessness about her business, her love life, and the idea that she was running out of time. True to her plan, 13 days before turning 50, Alicia set out on foot as a solo traveler along the Portuguese Coastal Way, which starts in Porto, Portugal and travels along the coast to Spain. By the time she entered Santiago on her birthday, Alicia had hiked more than 200 miles, been lost several times, walked through a heavy storm, received help from friends back home and strangers along the way (some menacing, some other-worldly), and made many new friends. She had gained new insights about herself and about love and relationships that would transform how she now approaches her business and personal life. In Chasing Grace, Alicia shares a daily account of what it was like for her to make the pilgrimage as a woman traveling alone, of the many people she encountered along the way, and of the lessons she learned during the journey. The reader will recognize their own unique journey in Alicia's story and perhaps find a new perspective of their own. Chasing Grace is more than a travel log. It is a story of how we are never alone. It is a story of how miracles are all around us. And it is a story of finding peace in realizing that the obstacles we encounter on our path aren't obstacles at all - but rather they are the path in and of itself. Alicia Marie is the founder of a leadership development organization who has been assisting clients with transforming their careers and lives for more than 18 years.